Feta Stuffed BLT Burgers

Say hello to the gussied up burger version of the BLT with a layer of creamy feta cheese hidden inside.

If you ever stuffed cheese into the middle of a burger before then you know it’s no easy feat to keep it contained once it begins to melt.

With feta cheese you don’t have that problem because it can’t and won’t melt. It gets warm and soft without being oozy.

I wasn’t sure if the feta and bacon were going to work together but it turns out they really like each other. The tangy bite of the feta with the salty bacon, fresh lettuce, tomato and mayo make a great flavor combo for the juicy burger.

One I plan on repeating over and over again, all summer long.

I almost always use a George Foreman grill to cook my burgers, even with a backyard grill two steps outside the kitchen. Not only is it fast because it cooks from both sides but it makes the juiciest burgers I ever tasted complete with grill marks.

These burgers only took about four minutes to cook, just enough time to toast up the buns and slice up the tomato.

Say hello to the gussied up burger version of the BLT with a layer of creamy feta cheese hidden inside.

INGREDIENTS:

8 slices bacon

1 + 1/4 pounds ground sirloin

4 ounces feta, crumbled (1 cup)

coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

4 seeded hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

iceberg lettuce

1 large heirloom or vine-ripened tomato, sliced

mayonnaise, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fit a large roasting pan with aluminum foil and place the bacon in a single layler. Bake until crispy 12 - 15 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions. Divide each portion into 2 and pat each one into thin patties. Top with 1/4 cup of the feta cheese leaving a small border, place the other patty on top then pinch the edges together and form a patty. Repeat until all the burgers are made.

Season the burgers on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cook on a George Foreman grill or outdoor grill to your desired doneness, keeping in mind they won't take as long as a regular burger because of the cheesy centers.

Serve the burgers on toasted buns with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.